Panaflex Gold

panaflex x panavision panaflex panaflex platinum

Panavision's compact 35mm film camera (1986), 40% lighter than the original Panaflex. Enabled the first professional handheld work with sync sound and revolutionized mobile film production.

What is the Panaflex Gold?

The Panaflex Gold (also known as the GII) is Panavision's compact 35mm film camera that revolutionized handheld cinematography in 1986. Weighing 40% less than the original PSR, it enabled professional, sync-sound quality shoulder-mounted shots for the first time.

Technical Specifications

Feature	Panaflex Gold	Panaflex Gold II
Introduction	1986	1991
Weight (Body)	5.1 kg	4.9 kg
Dimensions	228 × 178 × 102 mm	More Compact
Frame Rate	4–40 fps	4–40 fps
Shutter	180° Mirror	180° Mirror
Noise Level	<22 dBA	<20 dBA
Mount	PV Mount	PV Mount

Key Features

Weight Savings: 40% lighter than PSR (5.1 kg vs. 8.2 kg)
Handheld Optimized: Ergonomic grip, balanced for shoulder mounting
Sync Sound Quality: <22 dBA without blimp
Steadicam Compatible: Ideal weight for stabilizers
Magazines: 400 ft / 1000 ft (4-11 minutes @ 24 fps)
PV Mount: Exclusive Panavision lenses

Comparison: Gold vs. Original PSR

Feature	PSR (1972)	Gold (1986)	Gold Advantage
Weight	8.2 kg	5.1 kg	-38%
Handheld	Difficult	Optimal	✓
Steadicam	Possible	Ideal	✓
Tripod Work	Excellent	Very Good	≈
Running Noise	20 dBA	22 dBA	PSR quieter
Max Frame Rate	36 fps	40 fps	+4 fps

Notable Films

Film	Year	DP	Usage
Platoon	1986	Robert Richardson, ASC	First major Gold production
Die Hard	1988	Jan de Bont, ASC	Action sequences
Goodfellas	1990	Michael Ballhaus, ASC	Famous Steadicam shot
Schindler's List	1993	Janusz Kamiński, ASC	Documentary style
Saving Private Ryan	1998	Janusz Kamiński, ASC	D-Day handheld
The Matrix	1999	Bill Pope, ASC	Action/Bullet-Time

The Gold Revolution

The Panaflex Gold changed the cinematic language of the late 1980s and 1990s:

Before (with heavy PSR):

Handheld only for short sequences
Steadicam shots were complex and expensive
Mobile shooting required 16mm

With the Gold:

Entire films possible with a handheld aesthetic
Steadicam became a standard tool
Documentary style in 35mm

History & Milestones

Year	Event
1986	Panaflex Gold introduced
1986	Platoon – Oliver Stone uses Gold for war realism
1988	Gold becomes standard for action films
1991	Gold II with improved ergonomics
1997	Millennium replaces Gold series

Today

The Panaflex Gold was succeeded by the Millennium series in 1997 but is still available from Panavision for nostalgic productions and period films. The "Gold look" – a combination of handheld movement and Panavision optics – defined an entire era of American cinema.

From the crafts

Perspectives

Cinematographer

Die Gold war die erste 35mm-Kamera, die ich wirklich auf der Schulter tragen konnte, ohne nach 20 Minuten Rückenschmerzen zu bekommen. Das geringe Gewicht von nur 5,1 kg ermöglichte mir spontane Handkamera-Moves, die vorher nur mit 16mm-Kameras möglich waren. Die Laufruhe blieb dabei auf PSR-Niveau – ich konnte also Dialogszenen aus der Hand drehen.

Director

Mit der Gold konnte ich meinen Kameramann bitten, den Schauspielern zu folgen, statt sie zu Markierungen zu zwingen. Diese Freiheit veränderte meine Inszenierung fundamental – Szenen wurden organischer, die Schauspieler natürlicher. Filme wie 'Saving Private Ryan' wären ohne die Gold in dieser Form nicht möglich gewesen.

Producer

Die Gold reduzierte meine Grip-Kosten erheblich – weniger Dolly-Tage, kleinere Crews für Handkamera-Sequenzen. Allerdings blieben wir an Panavision als einzigen Vermieter gebunden. Typische Mietkosten: 600-900 Euro pro Drehtag inklusive 3-4 Objektive.